Comparison of the three commercially available toothbrushes - a clinical trial

Background The present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of three types of toothbrushes on oral hygiene. Plaque and debris is intimately related to the production and progress of dental caries and inflammatory gingival and periodontal diseases. Good plaque and debris control facilitates the return to health for patients with gingival and periodontal diseases. Daily use of a toothbrush and other oral hygiene aids is the most dependable way to achieve oral health benefits for all patients. Methodology: A randomized clinical trial was conducted to compare the efficacies of commercially available toothbrush in controlling plaque and debris over a 1-week period. The sample consisted of 45 dental students of both sexes, with ages ranging from 18 to 23 years. The samples were randomly divided into three groups of 10 by a second examiner using the coin toss method; group A used a toothbrush of the brand colgate , group B used the brand VIP and the group c used a toothbrush of the brand AJAY. Each participant’s oral hygiene index were assessed on the seventh day on the basis of the assigned toothbrush after brushing using modified bass technique. Collected data were analyzed and different subgroups were compared using Student’s t-test. Result: The participants who used tooth brushes of the brand colgate have a mean OHI-S value of 1.7 with standard deviation of 0.45. the mean OHI-S value and standard deviation of the participants who used thebrand VIP are 1.8 and 0.88 respectively, whereas AJAY users have a mean OHI-S value of 2.1 with a standard deviation of 0.75.Study showed no statistical difference between the three different type tooth brushes in controlling oral Debris or calculus. Conclusion: The tooth brushes are equally efficacious in controlling OHI-scoresno significant difference observed in the study.